How Fast Is Distant Galaxy Recession?

Distant galaxies recede from us at speeds approaching 200,000 km/s due to cosmic expansion — the space between us is itself expanding. Most of the observable universe is, technically, moving away from us faster than light, an oddity allowed because space itself is what's growing.

The 'edge' of the observable universe is currently 46 billion light-years away — far further than light could have travelled in any straightforward sense, because space itself has been expanding the whole time.

• Space itself is what expands
• The galaxies are barely moving — space is stretching